Incinerator.



H. I. HARRIS.

INGINBRATOE. APPLIOA'1'I01T FILED SEPT. 21, 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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' INGINERATOR;

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH CO" WASHINGTON. D- C- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

HERBERT I. HARRIS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

INCINERATOR.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT I. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rochester, county of Monroe, State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Incinerator-s, anddeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertainsto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

One of the grave army problems is the disposal of human excrement fromcamps containing large bodies of men, the failure properly to dispose ofthe excrement producing discomfort, sickness and death. The problem is aserious one even when it is possible to shift camp frequently, and it isvital where a stationary camp must be maintained for a considerablelength of time. The most efi'ective way of disposing of the excrement isto burn it; but, owing to the peculiar nature of armies, an apparatuswhich would be entirely satisfactory for use in a permanent locationwould not answer for army use. Thus an army is not intended to remainpermanently in-one place, and an incinerating apparatus, to beserviceable, must be capable of being moved and carried about as part ofthe camp equipment; it must therefore be light and still have greatcapacity; and it must be easy to set up and take down. Such an apparatusmust also be simple in operation so as not to require skilled attendantsand it must be so constructed and arranged that no preliminary handlingor treatment of the excrement is necessary be fore incineration.

My invention relates particularly to the problem just stated and has forits primary object to produce an efficient portable incinerating latrinewhich shall be simple in construction and operation and which shallcombine great capacity with small weight.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterizedwill hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; butfor a full understanding of my invention and of its objects andadvantages, reference may be had to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 21. 1910.

Patented Au 8, 1911.

Serial No. 582,990.

form of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on line2-2 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are elevations of the two ends; Fig. 5 is asection on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portionof the apparatus; and Fig. 7 is a top view of the detachable trough.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a long low box preferablyrectangular in sec tion, preferably made of thick sheet iron or steel,suchas light boiler plate, and adapted to rest upon the ground on thelower edges of its side and end walls. The bottom of the box is raisedabove the lower edges of the side walls and is connected to the loweredges of the side walls by downwardly and out \vardly inclined portionswhich, together with the lower portions of the side walls, form guttersrunning longitudinally along the bottom of the box at the sides thereof.T prefer to make the box, except the ends thereof, of three sheets, onesheet, B, forming the top and the upper portions of the sides; and twoother sheets, C and D, each forming a part of one side and a part of thebottom. The sheets C and D are secured to the depending portions of thetop sheet in any suitable manner, preferably by means of bolts, E, orother detachable fastening means which will permit a worn sheet to bedetached and replaced by a new one without making it necessary to cutaway old rivets and form new ones. The sheets C and D are bent so as toform side pieces 0 and (Z, upwardly and inwardly-extending guttermembers 0' and cl, and laterally-extending bottom members 0 and (Z Themembers 0 and (Z are preferably arched somewhat so as to make themhigher at their meeting edges than at points nearer the gutters, thispermitting the fluid content of excrement deposited thereon to drain offinto the gutters. The free edges of the members 0 and (Z are preferablybent up as at c and d bolts E passing through the upturned portions tofasten them together. It will be seen that the members 0 and (Z form alow longitudinal partition down the center of the box which will preventmatter deposited in the box on one side from flowing over to the otherside and also prevent leakage at the 'oint.

1 The members 0, 0 d and (l form with the end walls F and G a fire boxof which they are the crown sheet. In the end wall F are fuel-receivingdoors H, H, lying beneath the bottom members 0 and (Z At the other endof the box is a conduit or hood I which places the tire box incommunication with the interior of the box by means of openings 9 and gcut in the end wall G below and above the bottom wall, respectively. Kis a detachable chimney opening out of the top of the box adjacent tothe end containing the fuel-receiving doors.

In the top of the box are two series of seatopenings, L and L, eachseries being dis tributed along one side of the box. In the arrangementshown there are eight of these openings, four in each series, theapparatus being designed to afford accommodations for a full company ofsoldiers and to form a part of the camp equipment of one company; but itwill of course be understood that the number of openings may be varied,increasing or decreasing the size of the unit. Flat metal covers M and Mare provided for closing the seat openings, these covers beingpreferably mounted on the top of the box in some manner which will makethem. permanent attachments while permitting them to be moved readilyinto either the covering position or in the position in which theopenings are left uncovered. This may conveniently be accomplished byproviding each cover with an ear, as indicated at m and m and passing abolt or rivet E through each ear and through the top of the box at theside of the corresponding seat opening. In this way the covers are heldflat on the box and are prevented from swinging up and down and making aclattering noise during transportation.

Since the box is made of metal, forming of itself an uncomfortable seat,I prefer to provide detachable seats of wood, fiber or other suitablematerial which may be set over the seat openings during the time theapparatus is in use as a repository. In the arrangement shown, each seatopening provided with a detachable seat, N, having the usual lid orcover N. The seats may be alined properly by providing the top of thebox with projections or pins 0 in rear of the seat openings, and placingon the seats perforated ears n which slip down over the pins andprojections.

lVithin the box are longitudinal inclined gratings P and P each of whichoverlies one of the gutters at the sides of the box and prevents solidmatter from dropping into the gutters, such matter traveling down acrossthe gratings and coming upon the elevated portion of the bottom of thebox. Liquids pass freely through the gratings and into the gutters.Similarly, any liquid which reaches the raised portion of the bottom isfree to drain therefrom into the gut ters so as to leave the solidmatter in a comparatively dry state. The gratings may be simply longstrips of sheet metal provided with numerous perforations. In thearrangement shown, the gratings bear at their upper edges against theside walls of the box and rest at their lower edges upon the raisedportion of the bottom. Each grating is provided with depending legs,indicated at 7) and 79, extending from the lower end into the adjacentgutter and resting at their lower ends on the bottom thereof. Thegratings are thus held against displacement without requiring anyspecial fastening devices.

In the end walls G- is a narrow horizontal slot Q which preferably,though not necessarily, extends entirely across the same near the top ofthe box.

R is a V-shaped trough or urinal having its smaller end projecting intothe slot and. provided with openings 1" and r in that portion extendinginto the box, these openings being preferably directly above the guttersat the sides of the box. The trough may be provided with a stop orshoulder R for limiting the movement into the slot. One or more pins Smay be inserted through the top of the box and the adjacent wall of thetrough to hold it in place.

R is a lid on the trough to close the same when desired. I prefer toprovide the trough with a transverse partition R at the center so as todivide the trough into two parts each of which can discharge into onlyone side of the box, thus preventing one of the gutters fro-m receivingan excess of liquid in case the box does not stand quite level.

T is a door in the end wall F of the box, opening into the space abovethe bottom wall.

U represents handles on the sides of the box for carrying it about.

When the apparatus is to be transported,

the chimney, the trough and the detachable seats are removed and areplaced inside of the box through the door T so that the apparatus takesthe appearance of a simple elongated rectangular box having one sideconcaved. hen camp is reached the detachable parts are taken out of thebox and placed in their working positions, the chimney, if desired,being left off and the chimney opening covered by a suitable lid. Thehuman excrement is deposited in the box and all openings are normallykept covered so as to confine the odors. It will be seen that the liquidexcrement is separated from the solid and flows into the gutters, thesolid portion remaining on the elevated portion of the bottom.Furthermore all of the matter, whether solid or liquid, which isdeposited on one side, remains there and cannot shift over to the otherside so as to produce an unequal disposition of the contents.Furthermore, the liquid received by the trough does not come in contactwith the solid matter in the box but flows directly into the gutters.

When the box has a sufficient charge, or at the allotted time, thechimney having been put in place, the detachable seats removed and themetal covers placed over the seat-openings; a tire is built in the firebox, the crown sheet becomes heated, and the flame and hotcombustiongases pass along under the crown sheet, through the hood at the rearend, through the interior of the box, and then through the chimney atthe front end. In this way the contents of the box, both solid andliquid, are heated from above and below; the solid matter being firstdried and then consumed; and the separated liquid being evaporated andpassing in the form of vapors out of the chimney without having to passthrough any portion of the mass of solid matter. Therefore, if the solidmatter dries before the liquid in the gutters has evaporated, the solidmatter serves as additional fuel which, while burning, aids inevaporating the liquid. After the contents of the box have beencompletely consumed and evaporated, the ash may be withdrawn through thedoor T, and, after cooling, the apparatus is ready to receive furtherdischarges upon placing the detachable seats in position.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and compactincinerator which collects the excrement, houses it so as to render itinoffensive, and then permits it to be consumed in an efficient andsanitary manner. It will furthermore be seen that an apparatus of greatcapacity can be made without being either large, unwieldy or heavy, sothat the matter of transportation is simple. Furthermore, noconsiderable skill is required to set up the apparatus, operate it, andremove it, so that any one having the degree of intelligence necessaryin a soldier can be intrusted with its care. By constructing theapparatus so as to compel the combustion gases from the fire to passbeneath the crown sheet and then return across the top, the heat unitsof the fuel are utilized to best advantage so that only a minimum amountof fuel is required. By causing the excrement to be deposited 1n theapparatus while the latter is cold, the excrement is gradually heatedwhen a fire is started and the disagreeable odors, which result fromdepositing excrement on a highly heated surface, are avoided.Furthermore, by bringing the hot combustion gases and some of the flame1nto the incinerating chamber and causing them to flow the whole lengthof the chamber, most of the odorous gases are consumed so that therewill be little odor during the process of incineration even when amoderate fire is employed,

hile I have illustrated and described with particularity only a singleform of my invention I do not desire to be limited to the specificdetails so illustrated and de scribed; but intend covering allconstructions and arrangements which fall within the terms employed inthe definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

that I claim is:

1. In an incinerator, a long closed box having its bottom raised abovethe bottom ed es of the side and end walls and connected with one of theside walls by a clownwardly and outwardly extending portion which formswith the side wall a gutter running lengthwise of the box, a gratingextending downwardly and inwardly from said side wall over the gutterand into proximity to the bottom, there being a plurality of seatopenings in the top of the box above said grating, said box having afuel receiving opening at one end beneath the bottom, a chimney leadingfrom the interior of the box at the latter end, and there be ing aconduit at the other end connecting the space beneath the box with theinterior of the box.

2. In an incinerator, an elongated rectan gular closed sheet metal box,the bot-tom wall being a continuation of the side walls and comprising acentral elevated portion connected to the lower ends of the side wallsby downwardly and outwardly extending portions which form gutters withthe side walls, one end of the box having a fuel-receiving opening belowthe elevated portion of the bottom wall, a chimney at said end of thehousing leading from the interior thereof, a conduit at the other end ofthe housing connecting the space beneath the housing with the interiorthereof, there being seat openings in the top of the box along eachside, and gratings extending from the side walls downwardly and inwardlyacross the gutters and into proximity to the bottom wall.

3. In an incinerator, an elongated rectangular closed sheet metal box,the bottom wall being a continuation of the side walls and comprising acentral elevated portion connected to the lower ends of the side wallsby downwardly and outwardly extending portions which form gutters withthe side walls, one end of the box having a fuel-1e ceiving openingbelow the elevated portion of the bottom wall, a chimney at said end ofthe housing leading from the interior thereof, a conduit at the otherend of the housing connecting the space beneath the housing with theinterior thereof, there being seat 4:. In an incinerator, an elongatedclosed box having a portion of its bottom raised so as to form anelevated drying table and a gutter extending lengthwise of the box adjacent to one side thereof, said box having a plurality of seat openingsin the top wall along said side, a grating lying above said gutter andextending diagonally upwardly from the bottom wall of the box to theaforesaid side, there being a fuel-receiving opening in one end of thebox below the bottom wall, a conduit at the other end of the boxconnecting the interior of the housing with the space beneath the bottomwall, and a chimney leading from the interior of the box at the endhaving the fuel-receiving opening.

5. In an incinerator, an elongated closed metal box having a portion ofits bottom raised so as to form an elevated drying table together with agutter running longi tudinally of the box along one side thereof, aninclined grating extending downwardly from said side across the gutterand into proximity to the driving table, the top of the box having aplurality of seat holes along said side thereof, metal covers for saidholes each pivotally secured to the top of the box at one side of one ofthe holes, there being a fuel-receiving opening in one end of the boxbelow the raised portion of the bottom wall, a chimney leading from theinterior of the box at the said end, and a conduit at. the other end. ofthe box connecting the interior thereof with the space below the bottomwall.

6. In an incinerator, a long closed box having its bottom wall raised soas to form a fire-box beneath the same, said bottom wall being connectedwith the lower end of the side walls by a downwardly and outwardlyinclined portion so as to form a gutter at one side of the box, a flueat one end of the box connecting the space beneath the bottom wall withthe interior of the box, a chimney leading from the other end of thebox, there being a :luel-receiving opening through the end wall of thebox at the latter end and beneath the bottom wall, a detachable gratingresting in an inclined position over the gutter against said side andbottom walls, and there being a plurality of seat openings through thetop wall adjacent to said side wall.

7. In an incinerator, a long closed metal box, the bottom of the boxcomprising continuations of the sides bent upwardly to form gutters andthen bent laterally toward the center, the meeting ends of the membersof the bot-tom wall being bent upwardly and fastened together to form ashallow partition extending longitudinally of the box along the center,the top of the box having a plurality of seat openings along each sidethereof, means connecting the space beneath the box with the interiorthereof, and a chimney leading from the interior of the box.

8. In an incinerator, a housing having an incinerating chamber providedwith gutters at the sides thereof, one of the end walls of the housinghaving a long narrow slot ex tending horizontally across the same abovethe plane of the gutters, and a trough V- shaped in cross sectionresting with its small end in said slot, said trough having holes in itssmall end at points above the gutters.

9. In an incinerator, a housing having an incinerating chamber providedwith gutters at the sides thereof, one of the end walls of the housinghaving a long narrow slot extending horizontally across the same abovethe plane of the gutters, a trough V-shaped in cross section restingwith its small end in said slot, said trough having holes in its smallend at points above the gutters, said trough having a transversepartition through its middle to prevent the contents in one side fromflowing out at the other side.

10. In an incinerator, an elongated rec tangular closed sheet metal box,the bottom wall forming a continuation of the side walls and being bentupwardly at the center so as to form a combustion chamber therebelow andcentral elevated drying table having gutters extending longitudinally ofthe same along the sides of the box, said box being adapted to besupported by having the lower edges of its side walls resting upon theground, one end of the box having a fuel-receiving opening below theelevated portion of the bottom wall, a chimney at said end of the boxleading from the interior thereof, a conduit at the other end of the boxconnecting the space beneath the same with the interior thereof, therebeing a plurality of openings in the top of the box along each sidethereof, and movable metal covers for closing said openings.

11. In an incinerator, a long closed metal box, the long sides of thebox being divided along a horizontal plane, means for securing togetherthe members of each of said sides of the box, thelowermost members ofsaid sides being bent inwardly and upwardly to form gutters and thenlaterally toward the center, the meeting ends of the laterallybentportions being bent upwardly and fastened together to form a shallowpartition extending longitudinally of the box along the center andreaching approximately to said horizontal plane, the top of the boxhaving a plurality of seat openings along each side thereof, meansconnecting the space beneath the box with the interior thereof, and achimney leading from the interior of the box.

12. In an incinerator, a long closed box 'made of sheet metal, thebottom of the box extending from the lower edges of the side walls andbemg curved upwardly at the center so as to form a combustion chambertherebelow and longitudinal gutters at the sides of and within the boxand an elevated drying table along the center of the box, said box beingadapted to be supported by having the lower edges of its side wallsresting upon the ground, the top of the box having a plurality ofcharge-receiving openings along each side, a chimney leading from theinterior of the box at one end thereof, there being a fuel-receivingopening in the end wall at the chimney end and at a point beneath thebottom wall, and a conduit at the other end of the box connecting thespace beneath the box with the interior of the box.

18. In an incinerator, a long closed box having its bottom raised abovethe lower edges of the side and end walls and being connected with thelower edges of the side walls by downwardly and outwardly inclinedportions, the top of the box having a plurality of seat openings alongeach side, a chimney leading from the interior of the box at one endthereof, there being a fuel-receiving opening in the end wall at thechimney end and at a point beneath the bottom of the box, a conduit atthe other end of the box connecting the space beneath the box with theinterior of the box, and deflectors extending inwardly and downwardlyfrom the sides of the box beneath the seat openings.

14. In an incinerator, a closed sheet metal box, the bottom wall forminga continuation of the side walls and being bent upwardly at the centerso as to form a combustion chamber therebelow and a central elevateddrying table having gutters at the sides along the lower edges of theside walls, said box being adapted to be supported by having the loweredges of its side walls resting on the ground, one end of the box havinga fuelreceiving opening leading into the combustion chamber, a chimneyat the latter end of the box leading from the interior thereof, aconduit at the opposite end of the box connecting the combustion chamberwith the interior of the box, one or more charge-1e ceiving openings inthe top of the box and a movable metal cover for each of said openings.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

HERBERT I. HARRIS.

\Vitnesses M. F. FREUDENREICH, RUBY BRYDGES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

